Portable computing devices (e.g., smartphones, computer tablets, etc.) typically employ touchscreen displays, which serve the dual purpose of providing output to the user and receiving input from the user. The use of a touchscreen display avoids the need for a hard keyboard, allowing instead the use of a soft (virtual) keyboard.
A common experience encountered by users of soft keyboards is the inputting of uppercase characters, which requires the use of a SHIFT key. In some embodiments, the SHIFT key may be indicated by the use of letters such as SHIFT or by the use of a symbol such as an up-arrow. Typically, the user must first tap the SHIFT key in order to turn on capital mode, and then tap the letter. In some cases, the user must tap the SHIFT key a second time in order to turn off capital mode; while in other cases, capital mode is turned off after the user taps the letter. Operating a soft keyboard can be a challenging experience for some users, and the additional finger or thumb movements to operate the SHIFT key can exacerbate the experience in terms of slowing down the user, creating error-prone situations, and the like.